Albion, NY: what USGS's seismic model says

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Albion in Seismic Design Category B: Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Rank it against the rest of the country and Albion sits at the 55th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Where Albion sits in New York

USGS's underlying values for Albion: 0.097g peak ground acceleration, 0.173g at short period, 0.048g at 1 second. Within New York alone, Albion ranks 115 of 170 cities by seismic hazard - the 33th percentile in-state. Albion has a population of about 5,704.

What a retrofit costs in Albion

A full earthquake retrofit typically runs $5,000-$10,000 nationally (around $7,000 typical), driven mainly by house size and foundation type, not by New York specifically. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt grant, which covers a large share of this cost, is a California-only program and does not apply in New York.

What this means for insurance

A Albion homeowner cannot buy a standalone earthquake policy in most cases - it is added to an existing homeowners policy as an endorsement, so the place to start is a regular home-insurance quote.

Where Albion's figures come from

Albion's Category B and every number above trace to USGS's own ASCE 7-16 Design Maps service - see the methodology guide. See the category explainer for what Category B does and doesn't tell you about Albion.